Redtail Rise black flies on the windowsill

Her trip to the cavern was the farthest she had gone from Broken Boulder since Ali had left again; now, nearly a week later, she dared to go further. Alarian's absence had given her itchy feet. Why should he get to go galloping off and leave her stuck handling everything and everyone?

He wasn't the only one who liked to run around.

And run she did, flying across the open land and past the mountains and glaciers, the grotto that she and Ali had visited, her feet finally bringing her to a charred rise. The trees were blackened, brush gone. Lily stared in wonderment as her eyes--so like the fire that once brought this place to its knees--raked her surroundings, finally landing on a tall stranger nearby.

"Hey," she called out, disarmed by the burnt-out emptiness of the ridge, trotting up and toward him. So fascinated she was that she completely lost herself, and came to a halt just a few tail-lengths from the man, head tilted, blinking at him. "Boy, this place sure is sad," she remarked, frowning.

While she waited for his response, Lily looked at him in admiration. He was handsome, blessed with a beautiful pelt of golds and browns, blacks and creams, and had a really trim figure. It didn't take much to sweep her off her feet, and without a word, the male had already done so.